Rupes LHR15ES MK2 VS Flex 3401. Pros and Cons?

[RDURTY2]

Hi there

I'm looking to upgrade my DA polisher with either the RUPES LHR15ES MK2 or Flex 3401.

From your guys experience which is a better machine and why?

I understand the Flex is force rotation and the Rupes isn't. I'm looking for a polisher that will work well on flat and curved panels, do paint correction effortlessly on hard paints like VAG / BMW etc and be comfortable to use.

It's a lot of money to spend and, want to spend it on the best polisher between these 2.

Your guys assistance is highly appreciated

[Stef@nus]

My opinion would be its your own decision on what machine to buy...
Go to the shop and feel which one is more comfortable for you and also do depend on the type of mops you are going to use

I've got a cheap Oriant Wealth DA polisher...Picked it up for R950.00 excl and working excellent for what I do...

Its not always the machine but the operator beyond the machine...

Don't know if this helped you but choose for your self and not what other people will tell you to choose...Its for you self afterall...
If it doesn't work for you,you can just be angry for yourself and not for someone else...

[crumbs]

Calling Lawrence

[RDURTY2]

My opinion would be its your own decision on what machine to buy...
Go to the shop and feel which one is more comfortable for you and also do depend on the type of mops you are going to use

I've got a cheap Oriant Wealth DA polisher...Picked it up for R950.00 excl and working excellent for what I do...

Its not always the machine but the operator beyond the machine...

Don't know if this helped you but choose for your self and not what other people will tell you to choose...Its for you self afterall...
If it doesn't work for you,you can just be angry for yourself and not for someone else...

Appreciate the reply and advice.
Holding a machine is one thing, but using it is another. Hence I'm asking guys who have used both to give me their experiences and pros and cons on both.

[Stef@nus]

pleasure bud

On the rest cant comment haven't used other DA's before,Lets wait for Lawrence to give you the right advice

[lawrence]

Before I share my thoughts, can you answer the following

How long have you been detailing?
How many cars a month are you working on?
Are you mostly doing production type details or full paint corrections?
What DA are you currently using?
What pads do you currently use?
What is your budget for new pads?
What polishing compounds do you mostly use?

[RDURTY2]

Before I share my thoughts, can you answer the following

How long have you been detailing? 2 Years
How many cars a month are you working on? 2 to 3
Are you mostly doing production type details or full paint corrections? Full Paint Corrections
What DA are you currently using? Sheild DA
What pads do you currently use? Lake County Foam pads and Wool
What is your budget for new pads? R200/ R250
What polishing compounds do you mostly use? Menzerna 2500 / 4000 and 400

[Ahmed.Syed]

Master Splinter to advise us ninja turtles

[mikhail117]

Hi there

I'm looking to upgrade my DA polisher with either the RUPES LHR15ES MK2 or Flex 3401.

From your guys experience which is a better machine and why?

I understand the Flex is force rotation and the Rupes isn't. I'm looking for a polisher that will work well on flat and curved panels, do paint correction effortlessly on hard paints like VAG / BMW etc and be comfortable to use.

It's a lot of money to spend and, want to spend it on the best polisher between these 2.

Your guys assistance is highly appreciated

Hi bud

While Lawrence get's together his thesis ( hi L) , I'll offer a short version of my opinion on the matter...

First off due to the number of polish/pads combos out there today, both machines correcting and finishing abilities should be on par in theory...

I use the Rupes 15 Mk1 and I love it. If comfort was your main goal, then Rupes all the way, moving from the Shield DA to the Rupes i'd often wonder if it was on!

However, the Rupes(the mk1 that is) suffers on even the slightest concave panels. Technique help here but from personal experience and what I've read, this is it's Achilles heel. Rupes say the added power in the mk2 addresses much of this issue but due to the nature of long throw polishers, it can only minimise this.
The flex on the other hand with it's forced rotation is an all in one machine, it does what it must and wont leave you wanting. But it's not as smooth and unless you have your technique down, there is a bit of a learning curve.

I use the Rupes 15 and the sheild with a Meguiar's 3 inch backing plate, both with Rupes pads and between the two of them they fulfill most of my detailing needs. However I still end up reaching for the flex for heavily concaved panels... SO if you're looking for a do it all machine the Flex would be your best bet, however if you're looking for comfort and can afford to use more than one polisher during a detail, the Rupes is a valuable addition to anyone's repertoire.

hope this helps

[lawrence]

Let me preface this by saying I own the Flex 3401 and have obviously used it a lot and have also played around a bit with the a LHR15 (Mk1), and like you, have read hundreds of threads about the machines and their pros and cons.

Straight off the bat I'd say that both machines are well capable and a decent upgrade over the Shield, and both should be able to deliver both improved results (as in an better finish) and improved efficiency (the flex due to the forced rotation, the Rupes due to the larger throw).

I'd also say that both have their pros and cons and ultimately it will come down to user preference.

Its sort of like the whole VW vs Opel thing....neither car is wrong (well Opels are ), but for whatever reasons, some people prefer the VW, and some the Opel.... as each have their own strengths and weaknesses... Imagine the Opel was quicker in a straight line, and the VW handled better, and your objective is to complete a drag race followed by a lap around a racetrack. Its possible that the time the Opel makes up on the VW in the drag race will be lost around the track, and vice versa, so that both cars finish at the same time...

If you are a driver who lives your life 1 quarter mile at a time, you may opt for the Opel, so that you can 'win' the drag race, and because you don't like track driving, don't care that the Opel lost out on the track.... if track driving is important to you, you will be happier in the VW, even though at the end of the race you never beat the Opel...

So comparing the machines.

Rupes will be a smoother buffing experience (way less vibrations than the Shield)
Flex can be more of a physical work out, but this is almost entirely negated through proper technique (it will never be a Rupes in this regard, but once you learn to operate the Flex correctly, I find it more smooth than the Shield)

On some paints, the Rupes will out cut the Flex, and on some paints, it will be the other way around.... both should deliver a very similar improvement over the Shield

On some paints, the Rupes will out finish the Flex, and on some paints, it will be the other way around.... both should deliver a very similar improvement over the Shield

The larger throw of the Rupes is an advantage allowing you to cut more paint quicker, but the larger throw becomes an inhibiting factor on concave panels, or in tight areas. The Flex will just keep rotating at the same speed no matter what you throw at it.

You would typically need another machine in your arsenal to compliment a 15 whereas you could use the Flex as your '1 machine'

The MK11 obviously has a more efficient motor and pad stall is less of an issue compared to the MK1, and, something I think people tend to forget when it comes to pad rotation is that, even when the pad is not rotating, it is still oscillating, and with a large 15mm throw, there is still a decent amount of cut happening when the pad is not rotating. This does does detract from the buffing experience in my opinion, even if the effect on actual correction ability is less than it seems.

It really depends on what you are looking for from the polisher...

If it is improved cut/finish ability / time savings, either would be similar
If it is a smooth buffing experience, the Rupes has to be the choice
If being able to 'power through' a detail and not feel like you have to nurse the machine along, then definitely the Flex

In either scenario, I would advise using the machine as a system - a lot of the smoothness of the Rupes comes from their pads which are balanced to the machine and even though lots of guys do use no Rupes pads, it can effect the quality of the buffing experience.

Likewise, I'd advocate the use of the Hybrids with the Flex - but I know Zubair has a lot of experience with both machines used as intended (the system) and with mix-matches pads/polishes, so hopefully he will chime in too.

Hope this helps a bit

[Lambchop]

Get a flex and call it a day.

[Zubair]

Rupes being Italian made works better on Ferrari's and Lamborghini's and Flex being German works better on Porsche and Audi.
This has been my experience with using both almost daily.





On a serious note(I was kidding above), this is something I wrote a while back on AutoGeek:


Flex 3401 VRG: After my normal free float DAS 6(Shield DA) and long throw Rupes, the Flex initially caught me off guard. It tugged at me, had a noise from the gearhead, rattled and clunky sounding(naturally being gear/direct/forced driven).It grabbed, skipped and fought me even with the LC 4" BP and 5" Orange LC Hybrid pad. It kinda feels like my crazy front wheel drive drag car, torque steers. It also runs considerably hotter than my other 2 DA's, once again a natural force driven trait. Feels and behaves like an old school hotrod push rod V8 muscle car or a sledgehammer but took all of one section in the test to learn its characteristics and keep it from walking on me.

Rupes BigFoot LHR 15 ES: If the Flex felt like a thundering V8 hotrod, the Rupes feels like an S Class Mercedes or precise as a scalpel.It feels and sounds more sophisticated, no need to fight it or keep it on a leash like a pitbull, just guide it or steer it, let the long throw do the correction, hardly any pressure needed to remove almost all defects on the test section. It corrects effortlessly.

The Flex 3401 is John Rambo, the Rupes 15 BigFoot is James Bond 007.

The Rupes had/has the KB washer mod as I find it corrects faster and stalls far less this way, just to be clear. Without the mod the Flex corrects noticeably faster, with the mod the gap narrows considerably.

The Flex generates more downward force thus more heat to the paint surface so needed 2 passes less to break down the polish.

I studied the paint surface for 15 minutes after, under differing lighting and both had levelled defects equally and I could not tell much difference in the finish either. Biggest difference was the journey/experience.

The test was done before AG sent my Rupes UHS pads and Polish. The UHS pad paired with an aggressive compound(Foam vs Foam)cut faster than my Flex with the Orange Hybrid.

The Flex with the LC Blue Foamed Hybrid Wool cannot be touched in ability and speed of correction.

They both so different its not fair to compare, both give you an enjoyable/different journey to an almost identicle finish.

I love both machines and am not afraid to state that both are at the top of their game.

Quick Summary:

Rupes 15: Super Smooth, no polisher feels so vibration free.

Flex 3401: Never have I ever picked up a polisher that felt so sturdy and well built.

[RDURTY2]

Thanks to all you guys for the feedback and advice.

Most of all thanks to Zubair for the in depth knowledge and experience concerning both these polishers. Your input has been greatly appreciated